When OpenLedger advertised their last opening for a blockchain developer, they could never have expected the response that one job advertisement would generate. “Over 1,000 applications were received in the space of a week,” explained Ronny Boesing, CEO of OpenLedger, “yet it was quite clear that the skill base we needed was absent.”

“Although many applicants had obvious and wide ranging skills in tech development, we needed knowledgeable blockchain developers. By the time we went through all of the applications, there were less than a handful with the type of experience we needed. We knew we had to do more to support the future of the blockchain industry.”

This was the birth of the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme, where OpenLedger, in partnership with MVP Asia Pacific, and universities worldwide, will be developing accredited blockchain-based courses and programmes, and creating Think Tanks to increase knowledge of the blockchain amongst students and companies alike.

Since cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and OBITS have gone mainstream, introducing people to a subject synonymous with blockchain, people are increasingly embracing this new technological development. Global industry players who have invested in various blockchain related projects, and companies such as IBM and Expedia, have made the blockchain credible to the business world.

Boesing stated, “The applications of the blockchain are far and wide reaching, with proven benefits over currently used tech systems, including greater security, faster transaction speeds and measurable supply chain efficiencies. Our goals with the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme are to foster knowledge, develop practical skills and give access to job opportunities in the global marketplace.”

Based in Denmark, OpenLedger is the world’s first decentralized blockchain-powered conglomerate with one of the most powerful cryptocurrency platforms, supporting a number of blockchain based projects in the fields of advertising, crowdfunding, gaming, freelancing, and financial services. In coordination with MVP Asia Pacific Inc., a leading offshoring and blockchain technology provider, they have unveiled their plan to construct their very first OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme with a university in the Philippines.

MVP Asia Pacific CEO, Darren McVean believes that, “Bridging the gap between academia and industry not only accelerates the development of blockchain technology, but also generates blockchain focused professionals that future innovations will inevitably need.”

“Universities involved in the Blockchain Innovation Programme will develop courses covering everything from blockchain fundamentals and creating applications on the blockchain, to building smart contracts and creating sector-specific uses of this technology.”

With the increase in demand for Blockchain technology, the increase in demand for people with a deep understanding in areas including legal, technical, and financial, with blockchain experience, has skyrocketed.

McVean continued, “For instance, Initial Token Offerings (ITO) and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) will be viable alternatives to traditional stock offerings, and one of the challenges that companies will face is the lack of lawyers with blockchain-related expertise. The OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme promises to give a clear idea of blockchain applications and regulatory policy.”

Boesing added, “Underpinning our commitment to the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme, we will also soon release details of our OpenLedger Bootcamps, focused on the use of cryptographic protocols for developers, offering networking and job opportunities through partnerships with global companies, including OpenLedger and MVP.”

“For the last year we have been fully committed to our own in-house internship and educational programmes. OpenLedger are currently educating 15 interns on the business of the blockchain, and we will commit to growing this programme as a company. Everyone wants someone with years of hands-on experience, and often they will not give developers who are trying to cross-over a chance to prove themselves. This is just one more programme we support to address this issue.”

“Business and industry across all sectors will be profoundly disrupted by blockchain technology, which is why the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme will provide students with the unique opportunity to gain a sneak peek of what is to come, essentially giving them the head start needed.”

McVean stated that they, too, support internships in their workplace. “Each year, MVP Asia Pacific takes hundreds of highly skilled graduates for a 13 week placement with our company. As part of the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme, we will expand this program to accept up to 500 graduates annually, via the eDEV.one freelancing platform we are developing on the blockchain.”

In his book The Business Blockchain, William Mougayar, estimates that there were only “5,000 developers dedicated to writing software for cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, or blockchain in general, and another 20,000 who had dabbled with the technology, or have written front end applications that connect with the blockchain.”

The current shortage means that knowledgeable blockchain developers can command high salaries for their work. The Wall Street Journal reported that some blockchain developers are receiving offers of up to $250,000 at the larger financial institutions.

All of this, Mougayar says, pales in comparison with the ‘nine million Java developers worldwide, and about 18.5 million software developers in the world’. Fortunately, as the book points out, there is good news, namely that the blockchain is tied to languages and scripts that are already in common use — like Java, Javascript, C++, Node.js, Python, Golang and Haskell.

Says Mougayar, “Getting more developers proficient on Blockchain technology is key, and part of its successful evolution. We can’t avoid not having a critical mass of knowledgeable software engineers that know how to program blockchains and develop blockchain applications.”

In agreement with Mougayar, Boesing is confident that in conjunction with the partner universities, they will develop ‘accredited blockchain programmes and courses that give confidence to the next generation of developers.’

“Academia is vital to the success of this venture due to the progressive state of blockchain technology. These programmes, delivered by partner Universities, will be used as the foundation of this rapidly-evolving technology. Research stemming from the OpenLedger MVP Blockchain Innovation Programme and the Think Tanks will eventually lead to the development of even better applications of blockchain technology leading to measurable improvements across all industries.”

EDITOR’S NOTES:

About MVP Asia Pacific:

MVP Asia Pacific Inc. is an Australian owned and managed Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company located in the Philippines. By tapping into the brightest talents the Philippines has to offer, MVP showcases a diverse portfolio of services in the fields of marketing, software development, customer service, and blockchain technology.

We provide companies with the services of exceptional offshore professionals that specialize in the following occupations: blockchain, web design, app development, game design, customer service, graphic design, architectural drafting, and accounting.

MVP is currently working on several groundbreaking blockchain powered projects such as

eDev.one, a freelance platform that uses blockchain technology to solve the challenges of high transaction costs, unreliable payment methods, and the lack of financial stability in freelancing.

Also in development is a blockchain-based ticketing system in partnership with FanzPlay, a mobile app company that revolutionizes the way event organizers interact with their fanbase.

About OpenLedger ApS

Based in Denmark, the OpenLedger Decentralized Conglomerate (DC), is the world’s first blockchain powered ecosystem, based on BitShares technology, supporting the OpenLedger Decentralized Exchange (DEX) and OpenLedger’s Crowdfunding (ITO) Services. OpenLedger is now one of the most powerful cryptocurrency platforms, with a number of projects and their tokens supported by the ecosystem.

As the OpenLedger DC is built BitShares Blockchain MIT Graphene Toolkit Technology, it has many advantages over Bitcoin technology. The BitShares blockchain platform is driven by a consensus mechanism and consists of a network of permission-less nodes networked together in a peer-to-peer (P2P) configuration.

The OpenLedger Decentralized Exchange (DEX) is designed for high-speed transactions, OpenLedger DEX allows users to trade assets in real time, securely, and with ultra-low fees.

From trading on the OpenLedger DEX to investing in many OpenLedger native tokens including OBITS, the official digital token of the OpenLedger DC, OpenLedger makes participating easy. QORA, the latest addition, now joins the many other assets issued and backed by OpenLedger, including OBITS, ICOO, BTSR, QBITS, BLOCKPAY, and FIMK – and they can be traded for BTC, ETH, BTS and FIAT USD and EUR as well as SmartCoins, bitUSD and bitCNY.

With OBITS, token holders reap a proportional share of the profits on OpenLedger, including current and future ITOs and projects. Buying OBITS are the equivalent of buying an early stake in a ground-breaking technology company. We initiate a buyback of funds and burning, thus reducing the overall supply and allowing a natural growth in the value of the remaining funds over time.

OpenLedger Crowdfunding Solutions give start-ups everything they need for a successful Token Crowdsale, including ITO marketing and PR, legal, operational, administrative and technical support. Businesses can create their own token to fund their idea, and investors can potentially gain from investing in these tokens. In addition, OpenLedger has their own projects launching ITOs including OCASH – the All in One Payment Card, Apptrade, HubDSP, GetGame and eDev.one.